Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-13
LOST ON THE PLAINS.


A long. creeping, cracking line of white
OK wagons. stretching away 10 the west
across the vast and boundless brown
rlains. Not q house for thousands Of
miles. not q tree, not shrub, not a single
thing in sight, except now and then,
dotted here and there, few black spots
| in the boundless sea Of brown.
This is the way it was when my parents
took me, then only a lad, across the plains
more than thirty years ago. How differ
ent now with the engine tearing,
| smoking and screeching across at the rate
of 400 miles or more a day. There are
many. many houses on the plains now.
| The pioneers have planted great forests of
trees. and there are also vast cornhelds,
and the songs of happy harvesters are
heard here. But the great black spots
that dotted the sea of brown are gone for
ever. Those dark spots were herds OF
countless bison, or buffalo, rs they were
generally called.
One sultry morning in July as the sun
rose up and blaZed with uncommon ardor,
q herd of buffalo was seen grazing quietly
close to our train, and some of the younger
bows who had guns and pistols, and who
were diving to kill buffalo, begged their
parents to let them ride out and take
shot.
As il was only a natural desire and
seemed a simple thing to do, small party
of bows was soon ready. The men were
obliged to stay with the train and drive
the oxen: for the tents had already been
struck and the long white line had begun
to creep slowly away over the level. brown
sea toward the next water, little blind
stream that stole through the willows some
fifteen miles away to the west.
There were in our train two sons OF a
rich and rather important man. And
they were now first in the saddle and
ready to take the lead. But as they were
vain and selfish and had always had big
opinion of themselves, their father knew
they had not learned much about anything
else.
There was also in the train sad faced,
silent boy, barefooted and all III rags, for
his parents had died with cholera the day
after we had crossed the Missouri river,
and he was left helpless and alone He
hardly spoke to any one, and as for the
rich mans sons, they would sooner have
thought of speaking to their negro cook
than to him.
AS the boys sat on their horses ready to
90 and the train of wagons rolled away,
the rich man came up to the barefooted
boy and said:
''See here, Tatters, go along with my
boys and bring back the game
''But ] have no horse, sir, " replied the
sad faced boy.
''Weu, take mine; ! will get in the
| wagon and ride there until you come
back" urged the anxious father.
''But / have 10 gun, no pistols or knife, !"
| added the boy.
ssHere, Jump on my horse, and I will
| fit YOU out" cried the rich man.
! When the barefooted boy had mounted
| the horse the man buckled his own belt
around the lad and swung his rifle over
the bow.
How the boys face lit up! His young
| heart beat like q drum with delight as the
party bounded away after the buffalo.
The wagons creaked and crawled away
to the west of the great, grassy plain, the
herd of buffalo shifted the young hunters,
| and, lifting their shaggy heads, shook
them angrily, and then turned away like
dark, retreating tide of the sea, with
the boys bounding after them in hot pur-
suit.
1t was long and exciting chase. Tat
tiers soon passed the rest of the boys, and
pressing hard on the herd, after nearly an
hour of splendid riding, threw himself
from the saddle and, taking aim, fired.
The brothers came up soon, and dis
mounting as fast as their less practiced
| limbs would let them, also fired at the re-
treating herd.
When the dust and smoke cleared away
d fine, fat buffalo lay rolling in the grass
before them. Following the example of
Tatters, they loaded their guns where
they stood, as all cautious hunters do, and
then went up to the game.
The barefooted boy at once laid his
finger on a bullet hole near the region of
the heart and looked up at the others.
81 aimed about theren' shouted one.
''And so did l." cried the other eagerly.
Without saying word, but with very
significant look, the barefooted boy took
out his knife, and unobserved pricked
two holes with the point of it close by the
bullet hole. Then he put his finger there
and again looked at the boys. They came
down on their knees wild with delight in
an instant. They had really helped kill a
buffalo In fact, they had killed it!
"For are not two bullets better than
ones" they cried.
"Tatters, cut me off the tail" said one.
"And cut me off the name; 1 want it to
make coat collar for my father" shouted
the other.
Without word the boy did rs he WAS
bid, and then securely fastened the trophies
on behind their saddles.
''Now let's overtake the train, and tell
father all about killing our first buffalo, y
cried the elder of the two boys.
''And won't he be delighted, thoughr
| h. he la 60 h.
saddle and turned his face in every direc-
ton, looking for some trace Of the wagons
But where are they" cried the brother
Both the brothers laughed = little al
first and then grew very sober.
THAT is tie way they went, said one
pointing off.
"Ye-yes, | think that is the way. BIT
wonder why we can't see the wagons
, eve have gailoped long way, ant
then they have been going in the Other
direction. Ii you go that way YOU vii
be lost. When we started l noticed
that the train was moving toward sunset
and that the sun was moving over oul
left shoulder as we looked after the train
We must go in this direction, or we shall
be lost, mildly and firmly said the bare
, footed boy, as he drew his belt tighter and
4 prepared for the work"
The other boys only looked disdainfulll
} at the speaker as he sat on his horse, and
shading his eyes with his hand. looked
away in the direction he wished TO go
: Then they talked moment amonl
I themselves, and taking out their poke
7 compaSSes looked 1T them very know
. ingly.
= Now, many people think that CON